Is Cape May, NJ a Good Place to Live?
Cape May is a small town of 2,815 in New Jersey, with a median household income of $69,896 and a 4.7% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 109 (US average = 100), which is 9% above the national average.
Strengths: Cape May stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A+), a well-educated population, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices. Whether Cape May is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Cape May city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 108.7Cape May's overall cost of living index is 108.7, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Cape May costs roughly 9% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Cape May, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $767,000 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,077 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 58.3% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $69,896 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Safer than AverageCape May's violent crime rate is 145.2 per 100,000 residents — 62% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Cape May is served primarily by Lower Township Elementary School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.9:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Cape May, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Lower Township Elementary School District | — |
| Elementary Schools | 3 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | N/A | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 10.9:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 52.8% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 95.9% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Cape May sees average highs of 43.3°F in January and 85.5°F in July, with 43.8 inches of annual precipitation and 14.8 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Cape May, NJ |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 43.3°F |
| Average High — July | 85.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 14.8" |
Demographics
| Metric | Cape May, NJ | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,815 | — |
| Median Age | 39.6 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 17.0 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 81.6% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 2.6% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 10.2% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 16.2% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 27.5% | 16.8% |